A light emitting diode, or LED, is formed from a semiconducting material having a p-n junction. The p-n junction creates an electric field that separates charge carriers, namely free electrons and holes. When an electron reaches a hole, the two recombine and release energy in the process which generates a photon. The photon generally has a specific wavelength based on the band gap energy of the materials used to form the p-n junction. In particular, the materials used to form an LED have a direct band gap that corresponds to electromagnetic energies near the visible spectrum.
Other techniques may be used to cause the emission of electromagnetic radiation. One such technique is known as light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, or a laser. Typically, the electromagnetic radiation emitted from a laser is in the form of photons of light energy that are monochromatic, meaning they have the same wavelength. The photons are also generally coherent and travel in a very tight beam toward the same direction.
One specific type of laser is known as a laser diode. A laser diode is a type of laser formed from a semiconductor much like an LED. Laser diodes differ, however, in that they employ an optical cavity that confines the emitted light into a very narrow line like a laser and may employ lenses to form a collimated beam. Thus, unlike LEDs, laser diodes exhibit the same properties described above that define a laser.
Laser diodes and LEDs may be used for treating patients in various fields of medicine including dermatology, dentistry, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, urology, gynecology, orthopedics, etc. The current methods for employing laser diodes and LEDs in treating patients in these fields, however, suffer from various drawbacks. Some techniques use very low frequencies that may be too low to be optimally effective in treatment. Other techniques require significantly higher frequencies to be effective, which may be dangerous and uncomfortable for patients due to the higher operating temperatures and additional heat that is emitted.
Many electromagnetic radiation therapy devices are too limiting, allowing the production of radiation output of only a single type, frequency, wavelength, etc. Furthermore, the devices allow only a static form of treatment, meaning that the selected type, frequency, wavelength, etc., of the radiation device may not be adjusted, added, or removed during operation of the device for treatment. Due to the various drawbacks of these devices, a patient generally will require recurring treatments as the derived benefit only lasts for a short duration of time.
Therefore, there is a strong need in the art for producing a radiation device for treating patients using laser diodes and LEDs that overcomes the above-mentioned and other disadvantages and deficiencies of previous technologies.